Joby Aviation and Metropolis Technologies have entered a partnership to develop 25 vertiport locations across the United States using an extensive network of existing parking facilities.
The initiative aims to utilize Metropolis’ artificial intelligence and computer vision technology to create high-throughput mobility hubs. Following its $1.5 billion acquisition of SP+, Metropolis currently operates the largest parking network in North America, with over 4,200 locations and aviation services in more than 350 sites. The companies will evaluate both new and existing facilities within this portfolio to integrate vertiports into early electric air taxi markets.
JoeBen Bevirt, CEO and Founder of Joby, said, “For air taxis to deliver on their promise of seamless urban travel, they must connect directly with the existing ground transportation ecosystem. By leveraging existing parking infrastructure to create mobility hubs, we can deliver on our vision of seamless connectivity for our customers and also maximize the value of those sites without needing to build infrastructure from scratch.”
The partnership focuses on integrating biometric recognition and advanced baggage handling to streamline the transition between ground and air travel. As an initial step, Metropolis will deploy its Bags VIP service to Joby’s Blade Urban Air Mobility, which operates flights between Manhattan and major airports like JFK and Newark. This service is designed to remove the friction of luggage requirements for passengers currently using Blade’s five-minute airport transfers.
Metropolis CEO, Alex Israel, commented, “The real world is the next frontier for AI, and our partnership with Joby marks a critical first step in expanding the Metropolis platform into true mobility hubs to deliver remarkable value for Members and partners alike. This transformational partnership is the very definition of Applied AI in the physical world. We are taking the data and recognition capabilities we’ve built in our network and extending it to air travel, creating the seamless, personalized, and magical experience that is the foundation of the Recognition Economy.”
By utilizing Metropolis’ existing footprint in remote check-in and in-terminal guest services, the collaboration seeks to deploy compact vertiport designs that meet all safety and regulatory standards while maximizing the efficiency of existing urban real estate.
